The Navy lost one of its unmanned aerial systems (aka, “drones”) in a crash in Maryland on Monday. The craft crashed in a sparsely inhabited area across the Chesapeake Bay from the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, where the drones are being used for training, according to the Navy. Read […]
Continue readingAre Drones Valuable for Domestic Use?
Are Drones Valuable for Domestic Use? A Follow-Up Piece to “Domestic Use of Drones? Bad Idea” Michael Toscano, president of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle; systems International recently submitted an platform opinion piece to USA Today, published June 5 to comment on an article submitted earlier in the week regarding […]
Continue readingTFRs on the Rise…
You have probably noticed that the number and frequency of Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) affecting model aircraft have increased over the past several weeks. This is not too surprising and unfortunately the occurrence of TFRs is likely to increase even further as we get into the heart of the 2012 […]
Continue readingNot Surprising – The sUAS NPRM Release Date has been Pushed Back Again
According to the May update on DOT’s Rulemaking Webpage the projected publication date for the small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) has been pushed back to October 2012. Sources close to the project speculate that we may not see the somewhat contentious proposed rule until after the […]
Continue reading“Domestic use of drones? Bad idea…”
Debate and controversy over the social, political and cultural issues surrounding the deployment of UAS in the national airspace continues to heat up… and is hitting the mainstream media. Read the latest Article in USA Today: Domestic use of drones? Bad idea…
Continue readingUAS Debate Heats Up…
The debate over the use of unmanned aircraft in our civil airspace is heating up as privacy advocates call for a ban on the use of “Drones”. In the wake of FAA’s announced ease on UAS controls allowing public agencies to start flying in the national airspace, renewed concerns over […]
Continue readingFAA Eases UAS Controls Allowing Public Agencies to Begin Flying Unmanned Aircraft
FAA has established new streamlined policies and procedures for applying for and issuing Certificates of Authorization (COA) for public agencies, allowing them to operate unmanned aircraft up to 25lbs. In compliance with Public Law 112-95, as of May 14th, law enforcement agencies, fire departments and other public entities will be […]
Continue readingDWI Charges Against Former FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt Dismissed
Drunk driving charges against former FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt were dismissed Thursday, May 10th. Fairfax City Court Judge Ian O’Flaherty ruled that Mr. Babbit was stopped on a mere hunch that he might be under the influence. Video from the police officer’s patrol car revealed there was no sign of […]
Continue readingModel Aircraft are not Drones
Recently, the AMA posted a blog post featuring comments from AMA President Bob Brown, in response to an op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times. The editorial proposed that drone proliferation by amateurs in the National Airspace System (NAS) raises an issue that has received too little attention: the threat […]
Continue readingAMA President, Bob Brown, Responds to LA Times Op Ed Piece
In the March 27, 2012’s edition of the Los Angeles Times, John Villasenor, UCLA professor, contributed an Op-Ed piece with the suggestion that drone proliferation raises an issue that has received too little attention: the threat that they could be used to carry out terrorist attacks. AMA President, Bob […]
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